The construction of the M1 (part 3)

A trip along the new road

The third of three films by local film-maker, Bernard Tompkins. The construction of the M1 motorway near Newport Pagnell, with footage of the motorway a few days before it opened, and then an on-board view of a car trip up the new road. Compare and contrast with today’s experience!

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  • I walk that part by Newport with family as it was being built

    By Merrial Muse nee Eaton (10/09/2023)
  • As a lad I cycled with my mates to a bridge near Northampton to see the first car travelling on the M1 on 2nd November 1959. A Jaguar was the very first, travelling very erratically and fast northbound and followed by a Wolseley Police Car, bell ringing! I later discovered the lady driver was pulled over and charged with driving under the influence of drink. She had reached 120mph. By the late ’60s I had acquired a car and was travelling north south of Luton at about 2am one night when I saw headlights coming up behind me indecently fast, at well over 150mph I estimated. It was a Ford GT being tested prior to Le Mans. A Daytona AC Cobra was clocked by the police at 190 mph around that time and the people responsible for such tests were politely asked by the police to stop doing it as a result.

    By dick bodily (11/03/2016)

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